HAPPY NEW YEAR

We wish everyone a very Happy New Year, may all your new year resolutions come true. Rob and I look forward to seeing the farmhouse renovations completed this year in the spring, and have so many plans to make it a great place to relax and spend a fantastic holiday as well as a wonderful home for our family to enjoy.

I can see from my own mail box that holiday companies big and small are starting to advertise on a grand scale. This is traditionally the time when families or friends have perhaps met and made plans to holiday together and are looking to book the perfect place. Christmas is over and our thoughts turn to planning a special escape. The farmhouse is a great place for two families (or more) to meet up. The house naturally splits into two spaces. The ground floor has three bedrooms, three shower or bath rooms, a lounge and kitchen/diner. The first floor and second floor together provide three bedrooms, three shower or bath rooms, a lounge and kitchen combined with dining room. The floors will be connected by the new staircase, which is being made by Daniel our joiner or "Menuisier" .

This summer we would like to rent the farmhouse out for a few months, However marketing the house is going to be a challenge this year because we wont have any pictures for people to see until the spring. I think people really rely on images as they chose a place to stay so this seems to be a bit of a problem. My neighbour suggested that I use Pinterest to illustrate our ideas, the colours and styles. So I have signed myself up and will begin some Pinterest boards. As we progress with the renovation I will be blogging and photographing our progress so I hope that every week will bring us closer to the finished product.

One recent achievement has been the beginning of the farmhouse produce. In the autumn of 2014 we had to radically cut back the box hedge which had grown too high. We were told that box wood is quite special so we decided that we should try to use it. A year on the wood has dried and the moisture content is right for a little turning! Luckily ... my cousin Gerry knows how to do these things and has made us honey dippers and bottle stoppers from our very own box wood. We are quite delighted and think they will be great additions to our welcome packs or make lovely gifts for our future visitors.

The French Farmhouse Produce. Figs, mirabelles and sloes from the gardens and our very own box wood turned and shaped by Gerry.